Fishing Bass Lake in Nipissing District, Ontario

• Overview

  Bass Lake is one of the Nipissing District waters in Ontario. Height above sea level is 208 metres. At 2.46 sq km this is proper open water rather than a pond. There is roughly 13 km of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. Few waters listed in Nipissing District are bigger. Sturgeon Falls lies 29 km from the water. The nearest city of size is Greater Sudbury, 100 km away. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Bass Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Records held for Nipissing District cover smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch and pumpkinseed. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. The shape of Bass Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 19°C, the coldest about -12°C. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late April. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about early December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. The season on Bass Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Should this one be busy, Stinking Lake is 3.1 km off. Ask locally about Bass Lake if anything is unclear.